Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) — Uzbekistan and Russia discussed the prospects for the development of transport corridors during the working visit of Russian Deputy Prime Minister Marat Khusnullin to Tashkent.

During his visit, he held talks with Uzbekistan’s President Shavkat Mirziyoyev and held a series of meetings with business representatives.

The Deputy Prime Minister also visited the "Jizzakh" Technopark, which opened in 2023, where he toured the exhibition of Uzbekistan’s construction industry products.

Additionally, Khusnullin visited the "Victory Park" memorial complex, where he laid flowers at the "Ode to Resilience" monument.

One of the central topics of discussion was the development of the transport infrastructure connecting the two countries, with a particular focus on international routes.

Specifically, the parties discussed cooperation within the framework of the road corridor passing through Russia, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Iran.

Khusnullin emphasized that expanding this transport network is a strategically important task and expressed readiness to continue joint work on its development.

Another key topic was the development of the "North-South" international transport corridor, aimed at integrating road infrastructure connecting Russian ports with Central Asia, the Middle East, and South Asia.

According to the Deputy Prime Minister, the project plays an important role in strengthening trade relations and requires further development. The "North-South" corridor covers a route from the port of Saint Petersburg to the largest Indian port in Mumbai, with a total length of about 7,200 km.

The corridor includes three routes: a Trans-Caspian route (using rail and sea transport), and western and eastern land routes.

In May 2024, Russian Presidential Assistant Igor Levitin stated that key directions of the corridor in the next five years will include: the western route through Russia, Azerbaijan, and Iran; the central route through the Caspian region; and the eastern route covering Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and Turkmenistan.

Trade and economic cooperation between Russia and Uzbekistan continues to strengthen. As of the end of 2024, bilateral trade turnover increased by 5.2%, reaching $10.2 billion. In the long term, Moscow and Tashkent aim to increase this figure to $30 billion by 2030.